In the dry solids industry, so-called “bulk bags” have become one of the more popular methods of transporting and storing bulk materials. This change could be due to the reduced cost associated with the usage of bulk bags versus other methods. They are cost effective and easily handled, transported and stored. Typically, bulk bags are constructed of a strong synthetic (e.g., cloth) material and include lifting loops and a discharge spout. For unloading bulk bags, there exist various types of bulk bag unloaders that employ particular mechanisms to effectively unload the material stored within the bulk bags.
There are functional challenges associated with the handling and discharging of material from bulk bags. Vibration and mechanical agitation (e.g., slow moving paddles) are most commonly utilized to assist unloading material from bulk bags, especially those materials that are non-free-flowing, or those that have become packed within the bags during transit and/or storage. An additional change from traditional material handling methods is that many end users of bulk bags use the bulk bags themselves as storage containers (i.e., hoppers) to deliver materials to a process, which eliminates the need for an intermediate hopper. Although bulk bags offer some significant advantages, difficulties arise when a process requires a material change before the bulk bag is empty.